How does VOCs Impact on Health?
Prolonged exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) results in the following possible health effects: Irritation in the eyes, nose and throat, nausea, loss of coordination and headaches. Damage to the kidneys, liver and the central nervous system. Certain organics can result in the development of cancer in animals, while other organics are known to be the cause of cancer in humans
The extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed.
Symptoms that indicate exposure to VOCs are
Nose and throat discomfort
Headache
Irritation in one or both eyes
Allergic skin reaction
Nausea
Labored or difficult breathing and/or shortness of breath
Vomiting
Bleeding from the nose
Fatigue
Dizziness
What is Odour?
Odour is another word for a smell, it is a mixture of volatile chemical compounds that humans and other animals perceive with the sense of olfaction. When you notice an odour, that tells you that you are exposed to something in the air that
triggered your sense of smell. An odour might be due to a single chemical or mixture of chemicals.
Chemicals vary in their ability to produce odours and people vary in their ability to smell odours.
Smelling an odour doesn’t tell how much exposure you have. It also doesn’t tell you if the odour that you are smelling will cause health effects.
Can odours cause health effects?
Chemicals that trigger odours may cause health effects. In most cases, people will notice an odour well below the level in air that would cause health effects. Also, people are not equally sensitive to chemicals and may not be affected by them in the same way. Whether or not someone experiences health effects depends upon several factors, including the type of chemical, how concentrated the chemical is in the air, how long the exposure continues, and whether or not the person smelling the chemical has any particular sensitivities. Health symptoms from odour exposures usually go away quickly when the odours stop. Odour is not a reliable way to determine the risk of health effects. For some chemicals, odours will be noticeable at low concentrations where the risk for health effects is also very low. For others, such as carbon monoxide, there is no odour at any concentration and no warning when people are exposed to dangerous levels. Exposure to odours could result in health effects ranging from none to mild discomfort, to more serious symptoms. Some chemicals with strong odours may cause eye, nose, throat or lung irritation. Strong odours may cause some people to feel a burning sensation that leads to coughing, wheezing or other breathing problems. People who smell strong odours may get headaches or feel dizzy or nauseous. If an odour lasts a long time or keeps occurring, it also could affect mood, anxiety and stress level. Powders, sprays, or gases, as well as the dust, smoke, fumes, and mists created when using some chemicals, are more dangerous because they can quickly get in the air. They are also small enough to get in the nose and lungs.
VOC, Volatile Organic Compounds
are substances or odour that evaporate at room temperature and are commonly found in household products and building materials.
